Laap gai – Lao chicken and herb salad

Ingredients

• 600 g finely chopped boneless chicken thighs or minced chicken
• 3 tbsp uncooked sticky rice
• 3 shallots, thinly sliced
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 4 tbsp lime juice
• ½–1 tsp chilli flakes
• 1 handful mint leaves
• 1 handful coriander
• 2 spring onions, finely sliced
• 3 tbsp water
• lettuce leaves and cucumber to serve
• 300 g sticky rice to serve

Method

1. 1Prepare the serving rice according to the packet; any soaking time is additional to the stated preparation time.
2. 2Toast the 3 tbsp uncooked rice in a dry pan over medium heat until golden and fragrant. Cool and grind into a coarse powder.
3. 3Cook chicken in a pan with 3 tbsp water, stirring until completely cooked through. Cool for 5 minutes.
4. 4Fold in shallots, fish sauce, lime, chilli flakes and rice powder. Adjust with more lime or fish sauce to taste.
5. 5Fold in mint, coriander and spring onion just before serving. Serve with lettuce leaves, cucumber and sticky rice.